1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus, method, and article of manufacture for sound reproduction utilizing components having audio systems, such as radios, televisions, cassette players, record players, compact disc players, personal computers and other digital or analog sound systems. More specifically, the invention relates to automatic adjustment of sound reproduction settings on an audio system based on listener preference and/or history.
2. Background of the Related Art
Many audio programs or audio/visual programs provide program identification codes as the programs are broadcast to or played on an audio or audio/visual system. A listener of the program typically has a preferred sound reproduction setting associated with each program being played. For example, a driver in a car listening to a news radio program may have a preferred volume setting for listening to the news radio program. However, the same person may have a different volume preference for listening to a musical program or to a particular favorite song. Currently, the listener of the program manually adjusts the volume setting, the treble setting, the bass setting or any other sound reproduction settings on the audio system to achieve a preferred listening environment. Manual adjustment of sound reproduction setting becomes a tedious task when a listener has to repeatedly adjust the listening parameters as the program changes or as the song changes.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus, an article of manufacture, and a method for automatically adjusting sound reproduction settings on an audio or audio/visual system, such as volume level, based on a listener""s preference and/or history.
The present invention provides apparatus, article of manufacture, and method for automatic adjustment of sound reproduction settings on an audio or audio/visual system based on listener preference and/or experience. In one embodiment, an audio system includes an apparatus for adjusting an output parameter of the audio system, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing a stored output parameter setting associated with an audio program being played on the audio system; and a processor configured to: determine whether a stored output parameter setting is associated with an audio program being processed on the audio system; if the stored output parameter setting is associated with the audio program, compare the stored output parameter setting to a saved output parameter setting; and if the stored output parameter setting is greater than the saved output parameter setting, change the output parameter to the stored output parameter setting.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method for adjusting an output parameter for an audio system, comprising: determining whether a stored output parameter setting is associated with an audio program being processed on the audio system; if the stored output parameter setting is associated with the audio program, comparing the stored output parameter setting to a saved output parameter setting; and if the stored output parameter setting is greater than the saved output parameter setting, changing the output parameter to the stored output parameter setting. Preferably, the method further comprises: detecting an adjustment to the output parameter; and changing the stored output parameter setting based on the adjustment.
In another embodiment, the stored output parameter setting includes a stored volume setting, and the method further comprises periodically performing a volume erosion process. The process comprises: decreasing the stored volume setting by a fixed decrement; comparing the stored volume setting to a threshold volume setting; and if the stored volume setting is less than the threshold volume setting, deleting from memory the stored output parameter setting for the audio program.
Another aspect of the invention provides a computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processes, performs a method comprising: determining whether a stored output parameter setting is associated with an audio program being processed on the audio system; if the stored output parameter setting is associated with the audio program, comparing the stored output parameter setting to a saved output parameter setting; and if the stored output parameter setting is greater than the saved output parameter setting, changing the output parameter to the stored output parameter setting.